Absence of Changes or Events Since December 31, 1996:
(a) there has not been any direct or indirect redemption, purchase or other acquisition of any shares of capital stock of the Company, or any declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution by the Company in respect of its capital stock, other than the payment made by the Company with respect to 500,000 shares of Common Stock put to the Company by Valcheck Company on June 30, 1997;
(b) except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, the Company has not incurred any indebtedness for borrowed money, or assumed, guaranteed, endorsed or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for the obligations of any other individual, firm or corporation, made any loans or advances to any other individual, firm or corporation or entered into any commitment or transaction material to the Company taken as a whole;
(c) there has not been any material change in the accounting methods, principles or practices of the Company;
(d) there has not been any damage, destruction or loss, whether or not covered by insurance, except for such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(e) there has been no change in the business, operations, assets or financial condition of the Company that has had or will have a Material Adverse Effect;
(f) there has not been any revaluation by the Company of any of its material assets, including but not limited to writing down the value of inventory or writing off notes or accounts receivable, in any case, other than in the ordinary course of business and in connection with the revaluation of certain fixed assets as set forth in the Disclosure Statement;
(g) there has not been any increase in or establishment of any bonus, insurance, severance, deferred compensation, pension, retirement, profit sharing, stock option (including without limitation the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance awards or restricted stock awards), stock purchase or other employee benefit plan or agreement or arrangement, or any other increase in the compensation payable or to become payable to any present or former directors, officers or key employees of the Company, except for increases in base compensation in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or any employment, consulting or severance agreement or arrangement entered into with any such present or former directors, officers or key employees; or
(h) there has not been any agreement by the Company to (i) do any of the things described in the preceding clauses (a) through (g) other than as expressly contemplated or provided for in this Agreement or (ii) take, whether in writing or otherwise, any action which, if taken prior to the date of this Agreement, would have made any representation or warranty in this Article III untrue or incorrect.
Absence of Changes Except as set forth in Schedule 3.10, since August 28, 1999 (except as otherwise expressly noted below), (a) the Business has been operated in the ordinary course consistent with past practices, (b) there has not been any Material Adverse Change with respect to the Business, or any material deterioration of relations between the Companies and their suppliers (including without limitation parties to grower contracts of the Companies), customers or Personnel and (c) to the knowledge of Shareholders, there has been and is no threatened Material Adverse Change with respect to the Companies. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as contemplated by Section 5.18 hereof and except as set forth in Schedule 3.10, the Companies have not:
(i) sold, assigned, leased or transferred any of the Assets that exceed $100,000 individually or $250,000 in the aggregate in book value or fair market value, other than (A) Inventory sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, to Buyer or persons who are not Affiliates of the Companies for fair consideration and (B) the assets comprising the feedmill operations as contemplated by Section 6.20 hereof;
(ii) canceled or terminated, or amended, modified or waived any material term of, any Material Contract, except in the ordinary course of business;
(A) increased the compensation payable or to become payable to any of its directors or officers, (B) increased the base compensation payable or to become payable to any of its Personnel who are not directors or officers, except for normal periodic increases in such base compensation (not exceeding, in each case, 5%) in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, (C) increased the sales commission rate payable or to become payable to any of its Personnel who are not directors or officers, (D) granted, made or accrued any loan, bonus, severance, termination or continuation fee, incentive compensation (excluding sales commissions), service award or other like benefit, contingently or otherwise, to or for the benefit of any of its Personnel, except pursuant to the Employee Plans set forth in Schedule 3.22, (E) adopted, amended or caused or suffered any addition to or modification of any Employee Plan, other than (1) contributions made in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice or (2) the extension of coverage to any of its Personnel who become eligible after the date of this Agreement, (F) granted any stock options or performance unit grants or other interest under any Employee Plan, (G) entered into any new employment or consulting agreement or caused or suffered any written or oral termination, cancellation or amendment of any such employment or consulting agreement to which it is a party (except with respect to any employee at will without a written agreement), (H) entered into any collective bargaining agreement or caused or suffered any termination or amendment of any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party or (I) with respect to any Shareholders, or any Affiliate of any Shareholders, granted, made or accrued any payment or distribution or other like benefit, contingently or otherwise, or otherwise transferred Assets, including any payment of principal of or interest on any debt owed to any such Shareholders or Affiliate, other than (1) any payments to such person in the ordinary course of business in his capacity as an employee of the Companies and (2) any transactions between the Companies, in the ordinary course of business and on an arms' length basis;
(iv) made any capital expenditure or commitment to make any capital expenditure in excess of $100,000;
(v) executed (A) any Lease for real property or (B) any Lease for personal property involving annual payments in excess of $50,000, or, with respect to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v), offered to execute any Lease or incurred any liability therefor;
(vi) made any payments or given any other consideration to customers or suppliers, other than payments under, and in accordance with the terms of, Contracts in effect at the time of such payment;
(vii) changed its accounting methods, principles or practices, including any change in the application or interpretation of GAAP;
(viii) suffered any damage, destruction or casualty loss (whether or not covered by insurance) affecting its physical properties that exceeded $100,000 in any one instance or $250,000 in the aggregate;
(A) issued or sold, or entered into any agreement obligating it to issue or sell (B) directly or indirectly redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired, or split, combined, reclassified or otherwise adjusted, any class or series of capital stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or (C) declared or paid any dividend or other distribution in respect of any class or series of capital stock;
(A) incurred any indebtedness for borrowed money or entered into any commitment to borrow money except for drawings under the Companies' revolving line of credit in the ordinary course of business or (B) incurred any obligations for any performance bonds, payment bonds, bid bonds, surety bonds, letters of credit, guarantees or similar instruments;
(xi) taken any action in anticipation of the execution of this Agreement or for any other reason to delay or defer expenses (including delay or postponement of capital expenditures or the payment of accounts payable), liabilities or obligations of any kind whatsoever or to accelerate any income, revenue, payment or similar item, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(xii) paid, discharged or satisfied any liability, other than any such payment, discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice of (A) liabilities reflected or reserved against on the balance sheets in the Audited Financial Statements, the Unaudited Financial Statements or in the Interim Financial Statements or incurred subsequent thereto in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, or (B) liabilities under, and in accordance with the terms of, any Material Contracts, Licenses and Permits and other commitments set forth in the Schedules;
(xiii) changed or amended any of their articles of incorporation or bylaws or similar organizational documents;
(A) acquired (by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock, other securities or assets or otherwise), (B) made a capital investment (whether through the acquisition of an equity interest, the making of a loan or advance or otherwise) in or (C) guaranteed indebtedness for borrowed money of, (1) any Person or (2) any portion of the assets of any Person that constitutes a division or operating unit of such Person;
(xv) mortgaged or pledged, or otherwise made or suffered any Encumbrance (other than any Permitted Encumbrance) on, any of their material Assets or group of their Assets that is material in the aggregate;
(xvi) revalued any of their Assets, including any write-off of notes or accounts receivable or any increase in any reserve (other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), involving in excess of $10,000 individually or $50,000 in the aggregate (such amounts to be calculated without netting any decrease);
(xvii) amended, cancelled or suffered termination of any License or Permit that is material to any of the Companies;
(xviii) canceled, waived or released any right or claim (or series of related rights or claims) involving in excess of $10,000 individually or $50,000 in the aggregate; or
(xix) made any material change in the policies or practices relating to purchasing practices, selling practices, returns, discounts or other terms of purchase or sale or accounting therefor or in policies of employment; or entered into any Contract to do any of the foregoing.
Absence of Change Since the Statement Date, none of the Group Companies has declared or paid any dividend on its shares or registered capital, and since the Statement Date, except as contemplated by the Principal Agreements and disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule:
(a) each of the Group Companies has (i) conducted its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice, (ii) used its best efforts to preserve its business, (iii) collected accounts receivable and paid accounts payable and similar obligations in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and (iv) not engaged in any new line of business or entered into any agreement, transaction or activity or made any commitment except those in the ordinary course of business;
(b) none of the Group Companies has entered into any transaction in an amount in excess of RMB5,000,000 other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(c) there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the business, financial condition, results, operations or prospects of any of the Group Companies;
(d) there has been no damage to, destruction or loss of physical property (whether or not covered by insurance) materially affecting the business, financial condition, results, operations or prospects of any Group Company;
(e) there has been no waiver of any material right or claim of any Group Company, or the cancellation of any material debt or claim held by any Group Company;
(f) there has been no sale, assignment, exclusive license, Encumbrance upon or transfer of any tangible or intangible assets (including without limitation, Intellectual Property) of any Group Companies other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(g) there has been no satisfaction or discharge of any Encumbrance or payment of any obligation by any of the Group Companies, except such satisfaction, discharge or payment made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that is not material to the assets, properties, financial condition, operating results or business of any Group Company;
(h) there has been no waiver, material change, amendment to or termination of a Material Contract or arrangement by which any of the Group Companies (or any of its assets or properties) is bound or subject, except for changes or amendments which are expressly provided for by the Principal Agreements;
(i) there has not been any incurrence, commitment to incur, assumption or guarantee by any of the Group Companies of any indebtedness other than in the ordinary course of business (such as working capital loans) and in amounts in excess of RMB5,000,000 and on terms consistent with past practice;
(j) there has not been the creation or other incurrence of any material Encumbrance on any asset of any Group Company other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(k) there has not been any loan or advance to, guarantee for the benefit of, or investment in, any Person (including but not limited to any of the employees, officers or directors, or any members of their immediate families, of any Group Company) by any Group Company except for loans, pledges or guarantees made by a Group Company to another Group Company in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with Applicable law;
(l) there has not been any resignation of or termination of the employment relationship of any Key Employee;
(m) there has not been any capital expenditures made by any Group Company that aggregate in excess of RMB75,000,000;
(n) there has not been any change in the nature or organization of, or any material change in the scope of, the business of any Group Company or disposal of the whole or its undertaking or property or substantial part thereof;
(o) there has not been any material acquisition or formation of any Subsidiary, any branch companies, any equity interest in any Person or the whole or any substantial part of the undertaking, assets or business of any other Person or entering into any joint venture or partnership with any other Person, by any Group Company;
(p) there has not been any sale, transfer, lease, or pledge of all or substantially all of the assets by any of the Group Companies, or entry into any consolidation, amalgamation, scheme of arrangement or merger of any Group Company with or into any other Person or other corporate reorganization;
(q) there has not been any sale, transfer, pledge or otherwise disposition of share capital or registered capital of any Group Company;
(r) there has not been any issuances of Common Shares or Preferred Shares and there were options exercisable for 21,060,606 Commons Shares outstanding; and
(s) there has not been any agreement or commitment by any Group Company to do any of the things described in this Section 3.9.
Absence of Certain Changes, Events and Conditions Since the Interim Balance Sheet Date, and other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice as contemplated herein, there has not been, with respect to the Companies, any:
(a) event, occurrence or development that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Business Material Adverse Effect;
(b) amendment of such entities’ chartering documents;
(c) split, combination or reclassification of any shares of its limited liability company/membership interests, capital stock or other equity interests;
(d) except any transaction that may occur pursuant to the WSDA Agreement, issuance, sale or other disposition of any of its limited liability company/membership interests, capital stock or other equity interests, or grant of any options, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange or exercise) any of its limited liability company/membership interests, capital stock or other equity interests;
(e) declaration or payment of any dividends or distributions on or in respect of any of its limited liability company/membership interests, capital stock or other equity interests, or redemption, purchase or acquisition of its limited liability company/membership interests, capital stock or other equity interests;
(f) material change in any method of accounting or accounting practice, except as required by GAAP or SAP or as disclosed in the notes to the Financial Statements;
(g) material change in its cash management practices and its policies, practices and procedures with respect to collection of accounts receivable, establishment of reserves for uncollectible accounts, accrual of accounts receivable, inventory control, prepayment of expenses, payment of trade accounts payable, accrual of other expenses, deferral of revenue and acceptance of customer deposits;
(h) entry into any contract that would constitute a Material Contract;
(i) incurrence, assumption or guarantee of any Indebtedness for borrowed money except unsecured current obligations and Liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(j) transfer, assignment, sale or other disposition of any material assets shown or reflected in the Interim Balance Sheet or cancellation of any debts or entitlements;
(k) transfer, assignment or grant of any license or sublicense of any material rights under or with respect to any Company Intellectual Property or Company IP Agreements;
(l) material damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) to an asset material to it;
(m) capital investment in, or any loan to, any other Person;
(n) acceleration, termination, material modification to or cancellation of any Material Contract to which it is a party or by which it is bound;
(o) material capital expenditures;
(p) imposition of any Encumbrance upon its properties, capital stock or assets, tangible or intangible;
(i) grant of any bonuses, whether monetary or otherwise, or increase in any wages, salary, severance, pension or other compensation or benefits in respect of the Companies current or former employees, directors, officers, managers, independent contractors or consultants, other than
(A) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, (B) as provided for in any written agreements or (C) as required by applicable Law, (ii) change in the terms of employment for any employee or any termination of any employees for which the aggregate costs and expenses exceed $10,000, or (iii) action to accelerate the vesting or payment of any compensation or benefit for any current or former employee, officer, director, manager, independent contractor or consultant;
(r) hiring or promoting any person as or to (as the case may be) an officer or hiring or promoting any employee below officer except to fill a vacancy in the ordinary course of business;
(s) adoption, modification or termination of any: (i) employment, severance, retention or other agreement with any current or former employee, officer, director, manager, independent contractor or consultant, (ii) Plan or (iii) collective bargaining or other agreement with a union, in each case whether written or oral;
(t) loan to (or forgiveness of any loan to), or entry into any other transaction with, any of its shareholders or members, or current or former directors, managers, officers and employees;
(u) entry into a new line of business or abandonment or discontinuance of existing lines of business;
(v) except for this Agreement, adoption of any plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution or filing of a petition in bankruptcy under any provisions of federal or state bankruptcy Law or consent to the filing of any bankruptcy petition against it under any similar Law;
(w) purchase, lease or other acquisition of the right to own, use or lease any property or assets for an amount in excess of $100,000 individually (in the case of a lease, per annum) or $100,000 in the aggregate (in the case of a lease, for the entire term of the lease, not including any option term), except for purchases of inventory or supplies in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(x) acquisition by merger or consolidation with, or by purchase of a substantial portion of the assets or stock or limited liability company/membership interests of, or by any other manner, any business or any Person or any division thereof;
(y) action by it to make, change or revoke any material election in respect of Taxes (except as required by Law), change an annual accounting period, adopt or change any accounting method with respect to Taxes except as may be required as a result of a change in Law, make any material agreement or settlement with respect to Taxes, file any amended Tax return, surrender any right to claim a refund of Taxes, or consent to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment;
(z) entry, issuance, or filing, with or without the request or consent or over the objection of it, or any order, consent order, of directive relating to any Company of or by any Applicable Regulator, or undertaking or agreement by such Company to or with any Applicable Regulator; or
(aa) Contract to do any of the foregoing, or any action or omission that would result in any of the foregoing.
Description of Change in Terms A. Modification(s)
Notification of Changes Subscriber agrees and covenants to notify the Company immediately upon the occurrence of any event prior to the consummation of this Offering that would cause any representation, warranty, covenant or other statement contained in this Agreement to be false or incorrect or of any change in any statement made herein occurring prior to the consummation of this Offering.
Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Absence of Material Changes Without the prior written consent of BRI, the Management Company and each Stockholder shall not, as may be applicable:
(a) Take any action to materially amend the Management Company's Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws;
(b) Issue or transfer any stock, bonds or other corporate securities of the Management Company or grant any option or issue any warrant to purchase or subscribe to any of such securities or issue any securities convertible into such securities;
(c) Incur any obligation or liability (absolute or contingent) relating to the business of the Management Company, except current liabilities incurred and obligations under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(d) Sell, assign, or transfer any of the assets of the Management Company other than the Excluded Assets;
(e) Merge or consolidate with any other entity or permit any other entity to merge into it; acquire any stock or partnership interests; effect any reorganization or recapitalization; or acquire any material assets of any other person, partnership, corporation or business organization;
(f) Make any election or give any consent under the Code or the tax statutes of any state or other jurisdiction or make any termination, revocation or cancellation of any such election or any consent or compromise or settle any claim for past or present tax due;
(g) Waive any rights of material value relating to the business of the Management Company;
(h) Modify, amend, alter or terminate any of its management contracts or other material contracts;
(i) Take or permit any act or omission constituting a breach or default under any Contract;
(j) Fail to (i) preserve the possession and control of its assets and business, (ii) keep in faithful service its present officers and key employees, (iii) preserve the goodwill of its customers and others having business relations with it, and (iv) keep and preserve its business existing on the date hereof until the Closing Date provided that the Management Company and the Stockholders shall only be required to use reasonable efforts to perform the activities described in clause (i) through (iv) of this paragraph (j);
(k) Fail to operate its business and maintain its books, accounts and records in the customary manner and in the ordinary or regular course of business and maintain in good repair its business premises, fixtures, machinery, furniture and equipment;
(l) Except in its capacity as management agent pursuant to the management contracts, enter into any leases, contracts, agreements or understandings other than those entered into in the ordinary course of business calling for payments which in the aggregate do not exceed $50,000 for each such lease, contract, agreement or understanding; or
(m) Commit or agree to do any of the foregoing in the future.
Statement by Officers as to Default The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers' Certificate, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.
Notice and Effect of Material Events The Company will immediately notify each Initial Purchaser, and confirm such notice in writing, of (x) any filing made by the Company of information relating to the offering of the Securities with any securities exchange or any other regulatory body in the United States or any other jurisdiction, and (y) prior to the completion of the placement of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers as evidenced by a notice in writing from the Initial Purchasers to the Company, any material changes in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries which (i) make any statement in the Final Offering Memorandum (as amended or supplemented) false or misleading or (ii) are not disclosed in the Final Offering Memorandum (as amended or supplemented). In such event or if during such time any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of any of the Company, its counsel, the Initial Purchasers or counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum in order that the Final Offering Memorandum not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing, the Company will forthwith amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum by preparing and furnishing to each Initial Purchaser an amendment or amendments of, or a supplement or supplements to, the Final Offering Memorandum (in form and substance satisfactory in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Initial Purchasers) so that, as so amended or supplemented, the Final Offering Memorandum will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a Subsequent Purchaser, not misleading.
